My scale modelling. I like making 1/24th scale racing cars and 1/10th scale busts. I have a few 1/12th Tamiya F1 car kits and I make the occasional aircraft and tank. Don't expect too much super detailing - I am pretty much an out of the box modeller.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Ipswich Club Week. The usual good crowd and a table full of great models. My JagdPanzer looked a bit tame but there we are.

Having finished the JagdPanzer and the 6-hour build 234 I needed something else to do that would interleave with the BR-52/Morser project. Looking around my shop I picked about 8 different items off the shelf and put them all back - Dragon Panther Smart Kit - Sherman Firefly - Academy 1/48th P-38 Glacier Girl (I even took that home).

I ended up starting the recently re-released Dragon 1/72nd P-61A Black Widow. I made sure that I ordered a set of masks in my weekly delivery - having had a good look at the amount of canopies involved.

I have started it and have got the cockpit done, the fuselage together and the wings on. This seems quite a lot but I am not one to fret over a kit, plus I spend about 2 hours a night modelling so it moves on quite well. Also, the kit itself is nicely moulded with little in the way of filler required. Incidentally, I have brought some Vallejo filler home (it comes in a standard Vallejo dropper bottle) and I am very pleased with it.

In the meantime (a sure sign my wife was a way for a couple of days) I managed to move on with the tender of the BR-52 which is now on its wheels. I must say I am avoiding the engine at the moment. I didn't like fitting the pipework, which looks and feels like polypropylene - so requires super glue, which I hate using, so its a bit hands length at the moment. I have to come back to it but not for a week or so.

Making this Black Widow reminds me why I moved to making armour - I much prefer to make - make - make - paint - paint - paint, rather then the chopping and changing that goes on with aircraft. Also, I am not brilliant at cockpits so I always feel I have let myself down a bit there.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Well the 6 hour build went off without any hitches. The quality of modelling was great. However, we stll need to get some people to see that finishing the model is the target - not delivering a wonderful cockpit and nothing else!Only 9 turned up out of 14 - that's a shame because we have to buy the kits and spread the cost of the paints, refreshments and room hire over those who book. Next timeit will be pay with booking!Once again, aircraft was the most popular category - we gave them an Eduard Weekend it La-7 in 1/48 and proved that if you work at it you can delivery a very nicely made model in 6 hours. The armour guys got one of the new Italeri 1/72nd Sd.Kfz 234/3. This was simpler in its part numbers but made up for it in fiddlyness. Jan Maes from Cochester won the aircraft category - that guy is a seriously good modeller - whils Kev Baxter won the armour section - I wish he would go back to aircraft and give Jan a run for his money.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

So I got back from the US and managed to clear the computer problems that plagued my wife and daughter whilst I was away.

In the last couple of weeks I have been building a Dragon JagdPanzer VI, using it as test vehicle for a new rangeof paints and filters from Lifecolor. The main set used was the new Lifecolor German WWII Tank Colours - Set 1 along with the Tensochrom weathering filters. I have been very please with the results - photos to follow. The rust effect is particularly good.

Last night I made my regular trip to North Essex Modellers in Colchester - http://www.nesxmodellers.org.uk. My JagdPanzer was a bit overshadowed by Geoff Wood's T-34 but the contest was won as usual by Jan Maes/Alex Williamson - if ever either of them enters an aircraft they win! For photos of the models check out the web site. For my sins I take the photos and maintain the site.

The exciting news this week is the 6-Hour Build. This is sponsored by my model shop. This Sunday it involves 16 people sitting down at 12 and finishing at 6 - in between they make and paint a model of my choice - they choose aircraft or armour and they all do the same kit within that choice. The points at the end favour those who finish rather than those who spend 4 hours on the cockpit. The last one was fun so watch this space.